A UK-led bird flu vaccine trial has begun involving 4,000 volunteers as scientists prepare for the potential risk of a future influenza pandemic
Supported by the NIHR, the study distinguishes itself by its large scale—around 4,000 volunteers—and the use of an mRNA vaccine specifically designed to protect against the H5N1 strain of avian influenza, a novel approach for this disease.
Scientists say the work is part of wider efforts to strengthen preparedness, as the virus continues to circulate in birds and occasionally infects mammals.
UK trial tests mRNA bird flu vaccine as scientists assess pandemic preparedness
Bird flu is currently transmitted between affected birds and various mammals. The virus does not readily infect humans; however, there is a risk that it could adapt. Since 2024, there have been 116 confirmed human cases across the world. Almost all are linked to close contact with infected animals.
Researchers have delivered the UK’s first dose in a bird flu vaccine trial that uniquely uses an investigational mRNA vaccine, a technology that marks a departure from traditional flu vaccines, to protect people against potential influenza pandemics.
The research will assess the safety and immune response of an investigational mRNA-based A(H5) pandemic influenza vaccine candidate, mRNA-1018, which is commonly circulating in birds and has pandemic potential.
The phase 3 trial, notable for its cross-country scale and use of local community clinics, will involve around 4,000 adult volunteers aged 18 and over in the UK and the USA. A total of 26 community clinics across the UK will administer the bird flu vaccine.
The study aims to determine whether the bird flu vaccine can elicit a strong immune response to protect against circulating and emerging strains of H5N1.
UK scientists and ministers say mRNA trial strengthens pandemic preparedness
Dr Rebecca Clark, the trial’s National Co-ordinating Investigator based at Layton Medical Centre, Blackpool, said: “We know that the A(H5N1) strain is evolving and spreading across animal species, and though it does not yet move easily between humans, we have to treat human-to-human transmission as a real possibility. This trial is our proactive attempt to shield against that possibility and any future pandemic that could emerge from it.
“With recruitment sites across the country, we have shifted from traditional hospital settings into the heart of our communities, helping ensure the research can be carried out across a range of locations and populations.
“This work is an important part of strengthening our understanding of how we can respond to emerging public health threats and improve pandemic preparedness for the future.”
Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Chief Executive Officer of the NIHR, said: “This important trial is a testament to the power of the UK’s strategic partnership with Moderna. By combining world-leading technology with the UK’s unparalleled research infrastructure, we are bolstering our pandemic resilience.
“Central to this effort is the NIHR’s Be Part of Research registry, which offers people a quick and easy way of taking part in some of the UK’s most exciting research. With over 700,000 people signed up so far, it is a key pillar of the UK’s research landscape.
“This trial proves that when the public, the government, and industry collaborate through the NIHR, we can accelerate the journey from laboratory to clinic – protecting public health both in the UK and across the world.”
Darius Hughes, UK General Manager at Moderna, said: “This study is an important example of how Moderna’s strategic partnership with the UK government can support pandemic preparedness in practice. By advancing research on an investigational mRNA vaccine against pandemic influenza and supporting rapid clinical trial delivery in the UK, we are helping build the evidence, experience and readiness that can inform future responses to emerging public health threats.”
Health Innovation and Safety Minister, Dr Zubir Ahmed, said: “This trial is a powerful example of UK science and the NHS working at their best – and it shows just how far we’ve come. Bird flu is a threat we continue to take seriously, and this mRNA vaccine trial puts us ahead of the curve.
“Just last week, we announced that average clinical trial set-up times have fallen from 169 days to 122 days — and today’s news shows exactly what that progress means in practice. The first trial participant was enrolled in less than half the time of our 150-day target. That is not just a statistic; it is faster access to potentially life-saving vaccines for people across the country.
“This is proactive, science‑led pandemic preparedness in action – building the capability now so we have the best possible chance of protecting people quickly if the virus does begin to spread between humans.”
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